Sheet-feeding method and machine



Nov. ll, 1941.

l.. L. MATTHl-'zws SHEET-FEEDING METHOD AND MACHINE Filed April 6, 1940 Patented Nov.`11, 1941 l Louis L. Matthews, Westerly, R. I., assignor to Maxson Automatic Machinery Gompany, Westerly, R. I., a corporation ofRhode Island Application April 6, 1940, Serial No. 328,368

The present invention relates to methods of and machines for feeding sheet material, such as paper and the like. The invention is particularly related to methods and machines involving high speeds, like those used at paper mills for v cutting webs from a roll or rolls into sheets, and

feeding the sheets, by means of more or less horizontal conveyor tapes, into a layboy or other magazine. The sheets are fed by high-speed tapes to low-speed tapes by which they become overlapped, and it is in this overlapped condition that they arrive inthe lay-boy.

It has heretofore been customary, in some'l machines of the above-described character, to provide longnarrow stationary metal waving fingers, snapped on to rods disposed'between the '45 claims. (c1. 2717-76) tion with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention; and Fig. 2 illustrates a diiculty encountered in the prior art.

A web '3`is illustrated as led from a roll or rollsv 50, of paper or similar material between feed rolls 52 and over a stationary bed knife or f cutter 4, mountedupon a cutter unit 69. The term we paperfv sheet, or its equivalent, willbe employed to denoteeither a single layer or a plurality of superposed layers of the paper tapes, with the tops of the-fingers slightly above the more or less horizontal line of the tapes,'for the purpose of imparting a long lengthwise stiffening wave to the sheets. In this way, the paper sheets are caused to travel substantially straight lengthwise, permitting their becoming overlapped Yas they travel from high-speed to low-speed tapes. Without some sort of wave, or other supporting means, the head end of a heavy, soft or it to become snubbed against the tail of the previously traveling sheet during the slowing down of the latter by the slow-speed tapes. This is as true of narrow sheets constituted of very soft or lthin sheet will sag down in the middle, causing limp material as` of wide sheets constituted of firmer stock. On certain classes of stock, liowever, itis impossible, because of injury to the stock, to drag the paper over metal waving ngers of the above-described character.

According to the invention illustrated and de scribed in a copending application, Serial No. 327,860, filed April 4, 1940, the waving is effected by means vof soit waving. members thatmove freely with the stock, thereby preventing damage to the stock. Evenvthis expedient, however, is not feasible with paper. stocks of particularly delicate nature, and with sheets such as printed sheets, which it is desrablegnot to wave at all. '45

and improved method and machine for bringing 4 An object 'ofthe invention is to provide a new the headA ends of the oncoming high-speed sheets up out of the way of the tails of the previously fed, slowed-down sheets. A' further object is to t -prevent the tails of the previously fed sheets from becoming positioned in front of theheads of the next-following sheets. Other obj'ects will be explained hereinafter and `will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention will now be described in connecor other material. A rotary cutter 54, operated by mechanism 55, operates with the cutter- 4 to cut the traveling web into sheets`56. The invention is 'equally applicable to use with previously cut sheets. Owing tothe feeding action of the rolls 52, aided by gravity, the sheets 56 travel at a downward incline toward high-speed conveyor 'tapes orbelts '2, that are mounted over rolls I0 and 66. During such travel, the heads 62 of the sheets may engage a stationary inclined guide board 11, disposed between the cutter 4 and the tapes 2, or a line of sloping or inclinedly` disposed tapes (not shown), described in a co` pending application, Serialv No. 326,975, led March 30, 1940. Thebelts or tapes 2 are disposed approximately horizontal, substantially parallel to the bed knife 4, at a level below the level at which the web is fed between the rollsl 52. The belts 2 cooperate with conveyor tapes or belts 6 that are mounted under 'roll 8 and around a roll 68, to feed the sheets, at relatively high ,speed,'to relatively low-speed tapes 12, on which, because of the reduction in speed, the sheets become overlapped.VA The overlapped sheets are ultimately fed,in overlapped relation, into a lay' boy (not shown). The tapes 2 and' are actuated by mechanism 58, acting upon the rolls 66 and 68, desirably at a speed approximately ten per cent faster than the. speed of the web 3, as determined by the feed rolls 52. The mechanism.

58 may be in the form of a link chain engaging I sprocket wheels upon the shafts lthat it turns. The roll 8 is shown positioned to the left of the rolls 66 and 68, and the roll 68 is'shown raised slightly above"thetapes 2 to provide a space in which the tapes 2 and' 6 may bite the heads of the oncoming sheets. l

' A roll-1 maybe employed just back of and .close lto the roll 68, between the cutters 4, 54

and the tapes 2. It is shown rotated at high speed, higher than the speed of the roll 68, by the mechanism '58, its lower periphery in the direction of travel of the sheet, as indicated by the arrow, to cause'it to engage hor take up the tail 61 of each sheet. The roll 1 pulls the tail of each sheet temporarily with greater speed than the speed with which the tapes 2 and 6 pull the body of the sheet to feed the sheet forward tov ward the lay-boy (not shown).

By temporarily thus pulling the tail end E1 of each sheet forward, in substantially the direction of feed of the sheet, the roll 1 unhooks the said tail end 61 from in front of the fast-traveling rotary knife 56, thus actuating it out of the path of travel of the rotary cutter 54. If the paper becomes hooked on the faster-moving rotary knife 54, the roll 1, running at fast speed, and deliberately forming a loop between the fastrunning roll 1 and the slower-running roll 68, will unhook it. Further description of this roll 1 may be found in a copending application, Serial No. 327,107, filed April 1, 1940.

The low-speed tapes 12 are mounted over a roll 2D. Idlerv rolls 82 and 84 are frictionally driven by the respective tapes 6 and 12, The idler roll 82 is integral with a slowing-down roll I9 of larger diameter. The low-speed tapes 12 are overlapped by and separated from-the highspeed tapes 6, as shown. The sheets are engaged on opposite sides of the tapes 2 and E at the time that they travel over the roll I8. The head 62 of each sheet, as it is delivered from between the high-speed tapes 2 and 6, is then caused to travel, lapped over the tail 61 of the the arrows in Fig. 1, it controls the head of the sheet 56, as the sheet is pushed forward from the rear of the tapes 2 and 6, so as to hold it out prior-fed sheet, between, and unconfined by, the

high-speed tapes 6 and the low-speed tapes 12, over the roll 84 and under the slowing-down roll I9. The head of the sheet becomes thereupon engaged between the slowing-down roll I9 and the tapes 12, whereupon the speed of advance of the sheet becomes slowed down.

When dealing with long sheets, however, itis sometimes dimcult to make the head end 62 of the high-speed sheets travel smoothly to the slowing-down roll I 9, even with the aid of crimpers, no matter of what type. As the head end 62 of the fast-running sheet 56 gets well out over `the rear sectionof slow-running tapes 12, its

weight causes it to fall down, so that it eventually comes in contact with the previously fed slow-running sheet 22. it this time, the rear end 61 of the high-speed sheet 56 is still being driven out in to space by the high-speed roll i8 and the tapes 6 above and the tapes 2 around the roll I0. This high-speed drive from the rear,

and this slow-speed contact at the front end 62 of the sheet, coupled with the fact that the paper has a crosswise bend, caused by the dropping of the front end 62 of the sheet, results in a foldor bend or curl 23, Fig. 2. This, of course, prevents satisfactory operation.

To overcome this diiiiculty, according to the illustrated embodiment of the invention, a horizontally disposed steel plate or table 24 is provided crosswise of the machine, at about the level of the center of the' roll III. An air current, injected vertically upward against the bottom of this steel table by pipes or nozzles 25, is caused by the steel table 24 to travel horizontally out and forward above the slow-running sheet 22, and beneath the head end 62 of the voncoming high-speed sheet 56. The air is thus blown under the table and beyond'the table, 'under the head 62 of eachsheet 56, while it-is still traveling at high speed, and just before its change of speed by the low-speed tapes 12, into the space between the high-speed sheet 56 and a previously fed-lowspeed sheet 22. As the air current is caused to travel faster than the sheet 56, as indicated by straight. The effect is substantially the same relatively as though the sheet were being pulled from the head end. Curling of the head of the sheet is thus prevented, and the fold shown at 23 in Fig. 2 can not occur.

The action may be aided by a small, relatively weak air current, directed vertically upward at IB, through a pipe or nozzle 80, in advance of the roll I0, in the line of feed, and to one side, in back of the rolll 20, as described in a copending application, Serial No. 328,367, filed April 6, 1940. This blows upward under the heads 62 of the sheets, to buoy them upward, out of the way of the tails 61 of the next-preceding sheets 2 i, as they leave the Ahigh-speed tapes 2, and prior to their being acted upon by the draft from the nozzles 25. The air current I8 acts upon the heads 62 of the sheets 56 as they pass successively the point where the air draft i8 operates, just prior to the time when they enter between the tapes 6 and 12, prior to the time that the air from the nozzles 25 acts thereon, and prior to the time that the speed of the sheets becomes lowered. In the case of very long sheets, the bend 23, Fig. 2, would occur even with the aid of the nozzles 80,; without such aid, the sheets 56 might curl in a place even in advance of the point'at which the vbend or fold 23 is shown. The air at I8 from the nozzles 80 prevents such curling until after the head 62 of the sheet has traveled' beyond the iniiuence of the air current I8. By this time, however, it has traveled over and beyond the tail 61 of the next previously fed sheet 22, that has been slowed down by the slow-speed tapes 12. The air draft I8 should be just strong enough to stiifen the head 62 of the sheet and hold it stiifened for a period of time before its speed is changed suiiicient to enable it to pass smoothly over the tail 61 of the previously fed sheet 22 and into the influence of the air draft from the nozzles 25. It is found, in practice, that the air from the nozzles 80 is not always needed when' the nozzles 25 are employed, but in many cases it is desirable to employ both the nozzles 25 and the nozzles'80. There is, however, a difference in the operation between the air draft from the nozzles 25 and the air draft I8 from the nozzles 80 in that the former continues to blow under the sheet for a substantial distance beyond the point at which the nozzles 25 are located; as indicated by the arrow, this distance may extend to the slowing-down rollIS. 'I'he air draft from the nozzles 25 continues to act, inthe direction of extension between the low-speed sheet 22 and the high-speed sheet 56, until the speed of the high-speed sheet 56 is actually changed by contact with the tapes 12. The air jet I8 is substantially at right angles to the direction of travel of the high-speed sheet 56, while the air currents from the nozzles 25 are substantially in the same direction as the direction of travel of the Modications will occur to persons skilledl in the art, and all such are considered to fall within the spirit and scope of the invention,(as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:-

, 1. A method of feeding sheets that comprises feeling sheets at relatively high speed, thereafter feeding the sheets 7at relatively lowspeed to cause the sheets to become overlapped in a moving pile, and blowing up under the heads of the sheets while they are still traveling at high speed and until their speed is changed.

2. A method of feeding sheets that comprises feeding sheets at relatively high speed, thereafter-feeding the sheets at relatively low speed to cause thesheets to become overlapped in a moving pile, stiffening the head of each sheet,

thereafter blowing under the heads of the sheets while they are still traveling at high speed and until their speed is changed. .f 4`. A method of feeding sheets that comprises vfeeding sheets at relativelyfhigh speed, thereafter feeding the sheets at relatively low speed to cause the sheets to become overlapped in a moving pile, and pulling upon the heads of the sheets while they are still traveling at high speed and before theirchange in speed.

5. A method of feeding sheets that comprises feeding sheets at relatively high speed, thereafter feeding the sheets at relatively low speed to cause the sheets to become overlapped in a moving pile, blowing under the head of each sheet to stiften it, and thereafter pulling upon the heads of the sheets while they are still traveling at high speed and before their change in speed.

6. A method of feeding sheets that comprises feeding sheets at relatively high speed, thereafter feeding thesheets at relatively low speed to cause the sheets to become overlapped in a moving pile, and directing air currents into the space between a high-speed sheet and a previously fed low-speed sheet in the direction of extension between the sheets.

the sheets to become overlapped in a moving pile, and directing air 'currents under the heads of the sheets, while still traveling at high speed, in substantially the direction of travel of the sheets, at a speed higher than'the speed of travel of" the high-speed sheets. ,l

10. A method of feeding sheets that comprises feeding sheets at relatively high speed, thereafter feeding thesheets at relatively low speed to cause the sheets to become overlapped in a moving pile, blowing under the head of each sheet to stiften it, and thereafter directing air currents under the heads of the sheets, while still traveling at high speeds, in substantially the direction of travel of the sheets, at a speed higher than the speed of travel of .the high-speed sheets. V

11.` A sheet-feeding machine having, in combination, means for feeding sheets at relatively highV speed, means for .thereafter feeding the sheets-at relatively low speed to cause the sheets to `become overlapped in a moving pile, and means for directing air currents under the heads of the sheets in substantially the direction-ofy travel of the sheets while the sheets are still traveling at high speed. I y

l2. A sheet-feeding machine having; in combination, means for feeding sheets at relatively high speed past a predetermined point, means for thereafter feeding the sheets at relatively low speed toA cause the sheets to become overlapped, means for stiffening the head of each sheet as it passes the point, and means for thereafter directing air currents under the heads .of the sheets.

13. A sheet-feeding machine having, in combination, means for feeding sheets at relatively high speed, means for thereafter feeding the sheets. at relatively low speed to cause the sheets to become overlapped, means for blowing under the heads of vthe sheets to stiften them, and means for thereafter directing air currents under the heads of the sheets.

14. A sheet-feeding machine having, in combination, high-speedv means for feeding sheets at relatively high speed, low-speed means for thereafter feeding the sheets at relatively low speed to cause the sheets to become overlapped in a moving pile, and means for directing air 7. A method of feeding sheets that comprises feeding a plurality of sheets at relatively high speed successively past a predetermined point, thereafter feeding the sheets atrelatively -low speed to cause the sheets to become overlapped in amoving pile, blowing under the head of each sheet to stiffen it as it passes the point, and thereafter continuing to blow under the heads of the sheets while they are still traveling at high speed 3 and until their speed is' changed.

8.1A method of feeding sheets that comprises feeding a plurality of sheets at relatively high speed successivelynpast a predetermined point,

thereafter feeding the sheets at .relativelyvlow speed tocause the sheets to `become overlapped in a movingpile; blowing under the head of each sheet to stiften it as it passes the point, and thereafter directing air currents into the space between a high-speed sheet and a previously fed low-speed sheet,

9. A method of feedingsheets that ,comprises feeding sheets at relatively high speed, thereafter feeding the sheets at relatively low speed to cause currents under the heads of the sheets between' the high-speed means and the low-speedmeans while the sheets are still traveling at high speed in the general direction of `travel 0f the sheets.

15. A sheet-feeding machine, having, in combination, a relatively high-speed tape for feed'- ing sheets at relatively high speed, a relatively low-speed tape lapped by the high-speed tape for thereafter feeding the sheets at relatively low, speed to cause the sheets to become overlapped, i l and means for directing air currents under the heads of the sheets between the tapes Whilethe sheets are still traveling 'at high speed and before their speed is changed.

J 1 16. A sheet-feeding machine having, in combination, a relatively high-speed tape for feeding sheets at relatively high speed, arelatively low-speed tape lapped by the high-speed tape for thereafter feeding 'the sheets atrelatively Y lovv speed to cause .the sheets to become overlapped, means for stiifening the heads of the sheets, and means for thereafter directing air currents under the heads of the sheets'betvfen the tapeswhile they are still traveling at high speed and before their change in speed.

17. A sheet-feeding machine having, in combination, means for feeding sheets at relatively high speed, means for thereafter feeding the sheets at relatively low speed to cause the sheets to become overlapped in a moving pile, and means for directing air currents under the heads of the sheets in substantially the direction of travel of the sheets at a speed higher than the speed of travel of the sheets while the sheets are still traveling at high speed and before their change in speed.

18. A sheet-feeding machine having, in combination, means for feeding sheets at relatively high speed, means for thereafter feeding the sheets at relatively low speed to cause the sheets to become overlapped in a moving pile, and means for directing air currents into the space between a high-speed sheet and a previously fed low-speed sheet in substantially the direction of travel of the sheets.

19. A sheet-feeding machine having, in combination, means for feeding sheets,-a table, and means for directing air currents against the table and beyond the table under a sheet in the u direction of travel of the sheet.

20. A sheet-feeding machine having, in combination, a relatively high-speed tape for feeding sheets at relatively high speed, a relatively low-speed tape for thereafter feeding the sheets at relatively low speed to cause the sheets to becomey overlapped, a table positioned between the high-speed tape and the low-speed tape and extending in the direction of travel of the sheets, and means for directing air currents under the table and beyond the table into the space between a high-speed sheet and a previously fed lowspeed sheet.

21.V A method of feeding sheets that comprises feeding sheets over a support, depositing the sheets upon the support, blowing under the heads of the sheets while they are still traveling over the support, and shielding a portion of the body ,of each sheet from the blowing action during the blowing action under the heads of the sheets.

22. A method of feeding sheets` that comprises feeding sheets over a support, depositinglthe sheets upon the support, stiiening the head of each sheet, blowing under the heads of the sheets while they are still traveling over the support, and shielding a portion of the body of each sheet from the blowing action during the blowing action under the heads of the sheets.

23. A method of feeding sheets that comprises feeding sheets at relatively high speed, thereafter feeding the sheets at relatively low speed I sheet in a fixed direction substantially at rightangles to the direction of travel of the sheet as the sheet passes one of the points, and thereafter blowing under the head of the sheet in substantially the direction of travel of the sheet at the other point.

25. A sheet-feeding machine having, in combination, means for feeding sheets at relatively high speed, means for thereafter feeding the sheets at relatively low speed to cause the sheets to become overlapped, a table, and means fordirecting air currents against the table and b eyond the table under the heads of the' sheets in substantially the direction of travel of the sheets while the sheets are still traveling at high speed.

26.,A sheet-feeding machine having, in combination, means for feeding sheets, a table disposed crosswise of the direction of feed, the feeding means being adapted to feed the sheets over the table and beyond the table in the direction of feed, and means for directing air currents against the table and under a portion of a sheet that has traveled beyond the table in the direction of feed.

27. A sheet-feeding machine having, in combination, means for feeding sheets at relatively high speed, means for thereafter feeding the sheets at relatively low speed to cause the sheets to become overlapped, a table positioned crosswise of the direction of feed between the` highspeed feed means and the low-speed feed means and extending in the direction of travel of the sheets, and means for directing air currents under the table and beyond the table into the space between a high-speed sheet and a previously fed low-speed sheet.

28. A method of feeding sheets that comprises feeding sheets at relatively high speed in a predetermined direction, thereafter feeding the sheets at relatively' low speed'in the said direction to cause the sheetsto become overlapped in a moving pile, and blowing under the heads of the sheets while they are still traveling at high speed and until their speedis changed.

29. A method of feeding sheets that comprises feeding sheets at relatively high speed, thereafter feeding the sheets at relatively low speed while continuing to feed other sheets at relatively high speed to-cause the sheets to become overlapped in a moving pile, and blowing under the heads of the sheets whileA they are still traveling at high speed and until their speed is changed.

30. A method of feeding sheets that comprises feeding sheets at relatively high speed in a predetermined direction, thereafter feeding the sheets at relatively low speed in the said direction to cause the sheets to become overlapped in a moving pile, stiffening the head of each sheet, and thereafter blowing under the heads of the sheets while they are still traveling at high speed and until their speed is changed.

31. A method of feeding sheets that comprises feeding sheets at relatively high speed at a predetermined speed in a predetermined direction past a predetermined point, stiiening the heads of the sheets as they pass the point, thereafter feeding the sheets at relatively low speed in the said direction to cause the sheets to become overlapped in a moving pile, and blowing under the heads of the sheets while they are still traveling at high 'speed and until their speed is changed. 32. A sheet-feeding machine having, in combination, means for feeding sheets at relatively high speed in a predetermined direction, means for thereafter feeding the sheets at relatively low speed in the said direction to cause the `sheets to become overlapped in a moving pile, and means fordirecting aircurrents under the heads of the sheets in substantially the direction of travel of the sheets while the sheets arel still traveling at high speed.

33. A sheet-feeding machine having-in combination, means for feeding sheets at relatively high speed, means for thereafter feeding the sheets at relatively low speed while the firstnamed means continue to feed'the sheets at relatively high speed to cause the sheets to become overlapped in a moving pile, and means for directing air currents under the heads of the sheets in substantially the direction of travel ofthe to become overlapped, means for stiifening the head of each sheet, and means for directing air currents under the heads of the sheets in substantially the direction of travel of the sheets while the sheets are still traveling at high speed.`

35. A sheet-feeding machine having, in combination, means for feedingsheets, a table disposed Y sheets while the sheets are still traveling at high crosswise of the direction of feed, a support beyond the table, the feeding means being adapted to feed the sheets over the table and beyond the table over the support in the direction of feed, and means for directing air currents against the table and between the support and a portion of a sheet that has traveled beyond the table in the direction of feed.

means for directing'air currents against the table and between the support and a portion of a sheet that has traveled beyond the table in the direction of feed, and means for thereafter feeding the sheets further.-

39. A sheet-feeding machine having, in combination, means for feeding sheets, a table disposed crosswise of the direction of feed, the feeding means being adapted to feed the sheets vover the table and beyond the table in the direction of feed, and means for directingA air currents in the direction of travel of the sheet over the table and against the table and under a portion of a'v sheet that has traveledbeyond the table in the direction of feed.

40. A method of feeding sheets that comprises y feeding a sheet successively past two predetermined points and directing two air blasts in dif- 41. A sheet-feeding machine having, in combi-y nation, means for feeding a sheet successively past two predetermined points, means for blow- 36. A sheet-feeding machine having, in combi I nation, means for feeding sheets, a table disposed crosswise of the direction of feed, means disposed beyond the table inthe direction of the feed. for feeding the sheets further, the first-named feeding means being adapted to feed the sheets over the table and vbeyond the table to the secondnamed feeding means, and means for directing air currents against the table an'd between' the second-named feeding means'and a portion of av sheet that has traveled beyond the table over the second-named feeding means.

37. A sheet-feeding machine having, in combination, means 'for feeding sheets at relatively high speed, means for thereafter feeding the sheetsat relatively low speed to cause the sheets to become overlapped, a table disposed crosswise of the direction of feed between the high-speed feed means and the low-speed feed means 'and extending in the directionof travel of the sheets. a. support beyond the table, the feeding means being adapted to feed the sheets over the table ing under the head of the sheet in a fixed direction as the sheet passes one, of the pOinta-and means for blowing under the head 'of' the sheet e,

in a. second nxed direction different from the first direction with respect to' the sheet as the sheet passes the other point. l

42..A method vof feeding sheet material that comprises feeding a sheet at diiferent speeds, and blowing under the head of the sheet just before the speed is changed.

,43. A sheet-feeding machine having, in combination, means for feeding sheets at relatively high speed, means for thereafter feeding the sheets at relatively low speed to cause the sheets to become overlapped in a moving pile, and means operable just prior to changing the speed of the sheets for supplying air currents to the heads of the sheets.

44. A method of feeding sheets that comprises feeding sheets first at relatively high speed and then at relatively'low speed to cause'the sheets to become overlapped in a moving pile, and blowing under the head of each sheetjust prior to changing its speed.

and beyond the 'table over` the support in the direction of feed, and means for directing air currents under 'the table and beyond the table into the space between a high-speed sheet and a previously fed low-speed sheet on thesupport.

38. A sheet-feeding machine having, in combinatio means for feeding sheets, a table disposed crosswise of the directionof feed, a support beyond the table, the feeding means being adapted to feed the sheets ver thetable and beyond the table over the support in the direction of feed,

45. A method er feeding sheets theteemprisee.

feeding a plurality of sheets continuously in a predetermined direction at a predetermined speed successively past av predetermined point, feeding the sheets continuously in the said direction at a lower speed after passing the point to cause the sheets to become lapped in a moving' pile during their continuous feeding in the said direction', e

and blowing under 'the head of each sheet :lust before the speed is changed and after the said head of the sheet has passed the point.

- LOUIS L. MATTHEWS. 

